The newly ranked No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes protected their home-field advantage Saturday with a 59-3 thumping of the Kent State Golden Flashes to move to 2-1, ahead of Big Ten play beginning next Saturday (noon ET, Fox) at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, against Big Ten foe Illinois.
Despite wide receiver Jeremiah Smith breaking the all-time school record for receiving yards to surpass Michael Jenkins with 2,958, the Buckeyes will quickly shift their focus to preparing for a Fighting Illini (2-1) team they beat last season, 34-16, but looks much different a year later in coach Bret Bielema’s sixth season in Champaign.
The Illini lost their undrafted quarterback, Luke Altmyer, to the Detroit Lions’ practice squad…